The present invention relates generally to holders, and methods for holding, infant seats, and more particularly to a holder, such as a stroller assembly, to which an infant seat may be removably attached and to a method for removably attaching an infant seat to a holder, such as a stroller assembly.
Infant seats are used alone when placed on a table or a floor. Some infant seats may be removably attached to a holder. Examples of holders include child car seats, vehicle seats, and strollers. Typically infant seats include a child harness, such as a three-point harness, to secure the infant in the infant seat. Each side of an infant seat designed for use in a vehicle has a belt-path guide near the foot-end of the infant seat to guide and retain the vehicle seat belt when securing the infant seat alone to the vehicle seat. Some infant seats designed for use in child car seats have, near the back of the seat bottom or the bottom of the seat back, a transversely-extending notch and an associated latch used to secure the infant seat to the child car seat.
In one conventional stroller, the stroller includes a thicker, generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d-shaped bumper bar whose ends are attached to the front of the top portion of the stroller armrests. When the stroller is to hold certain infant seats having the previously-described notch and latch, the thicker bar is replaced with a similar-shaped thinner rod. Then, the infant seat is snapped-on or clipped-on the rod by pulling the latch, placing the notch on the rod and releasing the latch. The stroller has stroller straps attached at the back of the top portion of the stroller armrests. The horizontal distance between the middle of the attachment and the rod is substantially 13 and xc2xe inches. The stroller has a seat pad having a bight separating the seat-back portion from the seat-bottom portion of the seat pad, and the middle of the attachment is located between the bight and the rear of the stroller. The stroller straps are placed through the belt-path guide on the infant seat, and the stroller straps buckle together transversely midway between the armrests of the stroller. In another conventional stroller, not having a seat pad, several rods are included, with a specific rod being designed to be used for a specific infant seat.
What is needed is a holder, such as a stroller assembly, for an infant seat which provides a convenient attachment for an infant seat having or not having a notch used when the infant seat is installed in a child car seat. What also is needed is a convenient method for removably attaching an infant seat to a holder, such as a stroller assembly.
A first expression of an embodiment of the invention is for a stroller assembly having a stroller frame, a bumper bar, and a securing device. The stroller frame has a longitudinal axis and transversely-spaced-apart first and second side members. The bumper bar has a first end attached to the first side member and has a second end attached to the second side member. The securing device is for releasably securing an infant seat, having a belt-path guide, to the stroller. The securing device includes a first strap having a first end attached to the stroller frame. When the infant seat is secured, the first strap is spaced apart from the belt-path guide and longitudinally positioned between the belt-path guide and the bumper bar.
A second expression of an embodiment of the invention is for a stroller assembly having a stroller frame, a bumper bar, and a securing device. The stroller frame has a longitudinal axis and transversely-spaced-apart first and second side members. The bumper bar has a first end attached to the first side member and has a second end attached to the second side member. The securing device is for releasably securing an infant seat to the stroller frame. The securing device includes a first strap having a first end attached to the stroller frame. The bumper bar and the middle of the first end are separated by a horizontal distance between generally nine inches and generally thirteen inches.
A third expression of an embodiment of the invention is for a stroller assembly having a stroller frame, a seat pad, a bumper bar, and a securing device. The stroller frame has a longitudinal axis and transversely-spaced-apart first and second side members. The seat pad is supported by the stroller frame and has a seat-bottom portion, a seat-back portion, and a bight separating the seat-bottom portion from the seat-back portion. The bumper bar has a first end attached to the first side member and has a second end attached to the second side member. The securing device is for releasably securing an infant seat to the stroller frame. The securing device includes a first strap having a first end attached to the stroller frame. The middle of the first end is located longitudinally between the bight and the bumper bar.
A fourth expression of an embodiment of the invention is for a stroller assembly having a stroller frame, a seat sling, a seat pad, a bumper bar, and a securing device. The stroller frame has a longitudinal axis and transversely-spaced-apart first and second side members. The seat sling is supported by the stroller frame. The seat pad is supported by the seat sling and has a seat-bottom portion. The bumper bar has a first end attached to the first side member and has a second end attached to the second side member. The securing device is for releasably securing an infant seat to the stroller frame. The securing device includes a first strap having a first end attached to the stroller frame. The first strap is substantially-completely storable under the seat-bottom portion of the seat pad between the seat pad and the seat sling.
Four alternate expressions of an embodiment of the invention are for infant-seat holders (such as, without limitation, high chairs, swings, and stroller assemblies) and correspond to the previously-described four expressions wherein the terminology xe2x80x9cstroller assemblyxe2x80x9d of a previous expression is replaced with xe2x80x9cinfant-seat holderxe2x80x9d and wherein the terminology xe2x80x9cstroller framexe2x80x9d is replaced with xe2x80x9cframexe2x80x9d.
A method of the invention is for removably attaching an infant seat to a stroller and includes steps a) through c). Step a) includes obtaining a stroller having a bumper bar and a first strap. Step b) includes nesting the infant seat in the stroller against the bumper bar. Step c) includes releasably securing the infant seat to the stroller using at least the first strap.
An alternate method of the invention is for removably attaching an infant seat to an infant-seat holder (such as, without limitation, a high chair, a swing, and a stroller assembly) and corresponds to the previously-described method wherein the term xe2x80x9cstrollerxe2x80x9d of the previous method is replaced with xe2x80x9cinfant-seat holderxe2x80x9d and wherein the terminology xe2x80x9cstroller framexe2x80x9d is replaced with xe2x80x9cframexe2x80x9d.
Several benefits and advantages are derived from the invention. In the first three expressions and alternate expressions, the stroller assembly or generalized infant-seat holder provides for a removable attachment of an infant seat to the stroller assembly or generalized infant-seat holder whether or not the infant seat has a notch, wherein the attachment is accomplished conveniently without having to clip a notch of the infant seat onto a bumper bar and without having to thread a strap into a belt-path guide on the infant seat. In the fourth expression and alternate expression, the stroller assembly or generalized infant-seat holder provides for a removable attachment of an infant seat to the stroller assembly or generalized infant-seat holder, wherein the first strap is substantially-completely storable under the seat-bottom portion of the seat pad which provides convenience when the stroller or generalized infant-seat holder is being occupied by an older child who does not require placement in an infant seat. In the method and alternate method, an infant seat is removably attached to a stroller or generalized infant-seat holder by conveniently nesting the infant seat in the stroller, or generalized infant-seat holder, against the bumper bar whether or not the infant seat has a notch and without having to clip a notch of the infant seat onto a bumper bar.